Foretop-holder



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Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

54 1722 ewes W UNITED STATES \VILBUR J. HALL, OF TROY, NEIV YORK.

FORETOP-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,894, dated November18, 1890.

Application filed September 15, 1890. Serial No. 364,952- (Il'o model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. WVILBUR J. HALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Foretop-Holders, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novelconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter described, andsubsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

Figure 1 of the drawings is an end view of my improved foretop-holderattached to the brow-band of a headstall and in position for use upon ahorses head.- Fig.2 is a top plan view of the holder detached and in anopen position. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on the brokenline 3 3 in Fig. 2, showing by the dotted lines a method of attachingthe holder to the harness.

The holder consists of a plate or bar, means for attaching the plate tothe harness, and a longitudinallyexpansible spring band or clasp hingedat one end to one end of the plate, and provided with means fordetachably securing the other ends of the clasp and plate together.

The object of the invention is to cheaply provide a convenient holderfor securing the foretop of a horse to the harness, which will readilyadjust itself to foretops of different slzes.

A is a plate or bar, which is provided at each end with the arms A,projecting at right angles thereto, and adapted to be bent around thebrow-band B of the headstall to secure the plate to such brow-band, asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, on its front side. The spring-clasp 0,formed of coiled wire, is hinged by one end to one end of the plate at Aand the other end of the spring is provided wit-h an eye '0, adapted toreceive the hook A on the opposite end of the plate.

To tightly secure the foretop in place upon the brow-band of the harnessafter the holder has been secured to the same, as hereinbeforeexplained, it is only necessary to place the foretop upon the plate ofthe open holder and, drawing the spring-clasp over the foretop, slip theeye 0' upon the hook A thereby closing the holder and inclosing theforetop between the plate and the spring-clasp. The longitudinal recoilor resilient force of the spring will draw it closely against thesmallest foretop and securely hold it in position, while thelongitudinal expansibility of the spring permits of its inclosure of thelargest foretop.

I do not wish to be limited to the use of any particular material orform for the spring-clasp or method of securing the plate to thebrow-band, as any known forms and means may be employed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As an improved article of manufacture, a foretop-holder consisting of aplate provided with means for attaching the same to the brow-band, and alongitudinally-expansible spring-clasp hinged at one end to one end ofthe plate and provided with means, substantially as described, fordetachably securing the swing end of the hinged clasp to theholder-plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day ofSeptember, 1890.

\VILBUR J. HALL.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. MOSHER, W. II. HOLLISTER, Jr.

